2 reviews from the izneo community

Not any of the masterpieces that were published in Metal Hurlant in its golden age are present here (famous authors like Moebius, Enki Bilal, Manara or Berni Wrightson) but nevertheless, this is an interesting collection of short stories in the vein of The Twilight Zone. I spent enjoyable hours reading though stories from Kurt Busiek, Jim Alexander, R. A. Jones, Dan Wickline or the less known French writers like François Boucq, Fred le Berre, Seb Gérard or the well known Caza, that is also doing his own artwork. As for artwork, a talented bunch of diverse European and American artists are present here: Corentin, Mark Vigouroux, Francis Tsai, David Lloyd, Pascal Alixe, Jasen Rodriguez or Ryan Sook.
Space opera, horror, survival, fantasy, social awkwardness, it's all there in beautiful visual presentation, stories that will make you ponder on the futility of life or the unexpected turn of events at the end. I was awed, I was terrified, I laughed, I smiled though 23 enjoyable adventures. Think of variety and originality when you want to read this!

Selected Works operates as a strong introduction to the aesthetic vision, qualities, and weaknesses of Humanoid’s revival of the classic French publication , Metal Hurlant. With a mission to bridge the gap between North American and European comic book art, this early twenty-first century anthology features a mixture of familiar names from the USA, including Kurt Busiek and Geoff Johns - perhaps best known for idiosyncratic takes on the superhero - and UK and continental European artists and writers, such as Gerard Parel and Francois Boucco
The anthology’s strength lies in the consistent quality of the visual art, despite the range of artists: strong yet clear use of panels, which promote coherent story-telling, are combined with naturalistic styles with expected fantasy shadings. Parel’s panels on Hunter’s Moon sepia-tinted softness enhances the supernatural ambience of Busiek’s script; Christian Gossett’s clear line that is lent an urgency by Snakebite’s terse colours on John’s Red Light; Bouco powers his own narrative Shame on You with a distinctively European blend of naturalism and cartoon –again coloured to great effect, by Isabelle Busschaert.
Across the selection, detailed science fiction is juxtaposed with fantasy (The Dragon of the Northern Pass from Jason Rodriguez, Scott Benefiel and Charlie Kirchoff) and WWI drama (Rob G’s languid art on Call to Arms is a contrast to the raw brutality of Rick Spear’s story). Yet often the plots are weak: both Adam and Eve and Hitler turn up as punchlines, and too many tales end in sudden twists that undermine some solid characterisation and world-building.
An enjoyable but ultimately inconsequential read, the visuals out-strip the writing, but the short story format prevents any single story from out-staying its welcome, and the sumptuous art compensates for the predictable genre-led plotting.

"Métal Hurlant" magazine was created in Paris in 1974 by Moebius, Druillet and Dionnet, the founding fathers of Les Humanoïdes Associés. This movement soon revolutionized the medium and inspired countless writers, artists and filmmakers the world over. Versions in various languages flourished everywhere, including in the States with "Heavy Metal." The French version was eventually shut down in 1987. But in 2002, Humanoids relaunched a limited publication of a 13-issue anthology, with one main goal: establishing a creative bridge between the US and Europe.
Includes stories written and illustrated by comic book stars Geoff Johns, Kurt Busiek, Guy Davis, and Jerome Opena, among many others.

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